THIS BITES: Sergio Garcia, who finished with a 3-over 73 yesterday in the first round of the U.S. Open, walks off the 10th hole after one of his four birdies on the day. Photo: Getty Images

THIS BITES: Sergio Garcia, who finished with a 3-over 73 yesterday in the first round of the U.S. Open, walks off the 10th hole after one of his four birdies on the day. (Getty Images)

ARDMORE, Pa. — There were a few unforgiving souls who showed up at rain-soaked Merion Golf Club yesterday determined not to let Sergio Garcia forget about the bad form he showed recently when it came to preparing a dinner menu for Tiger Woods.

The first round of the U.S. Open put Garcia at the mercy of an American crowd ready to offer its own opinions of the Spaniard’s offensive comment that he’d serve Tiger Woods “fried chicken” if he had him over to dinner.

It mattered little to some that Garcia has repeatedly apologized for his racially charged remark and began this week by placing a note of contrition in Woods’ locker. Considering this is the town that once booed Santa Claus, Garcia shouldn’t have expected a pass near the city of Brotherly Love.

A loud boo was heard when Garcia was announced to play his opening hole, the par-4 11th. At the par-4 15th, a hole Garcia would quadruple bogey, someone yelled “Hey Sergio, pollo frito,” which is Spanish for fried chicken. At the par-4 18th, clucking noises could be heard among the gallery.

There was a report that security officers following Garcia asked the golfer if he wanted the hecklers removed. Garcia apparently declined, saying it would only make matters worse.

Truth is, Garcia had more problems inside the ropes than with anyone outside of them. Maybe it was the stress of being in damage control for three weeks, but Garcia was almost out of contention to win his first major before the competition could really begin.

He started at the 11th hole on the back nine and played his first three holes in even par. But Garcia took double-bogey at the par-4 14th and a quadruple bogey at the par-4 15th. He followed that with a bogey at the par-4 18th to stand 7-over after eight holes.

Just when it appeared Garcia might be an afterthought at the U.S. Open, he gave himself a chance to make the cut by playing the remaining 12 holes in 4-under to sign for a respectable 3-over 73.

“I was able to make a nice recovery,” Garcia said after his round. “So that was nice. But obviously I put myself in a tough situation.”

He’s getting used to that. First there’s the feud with Woods, and yesterday he has to fight to survive going double-bogey, quad on back-to-back holes in the U.S. Open.

Garcia’s driver turned on him like the hecklers. He pull-hooked a 3-wood off the tee out of bounds at the 14th and did the same on the 15th, where he also thinned what was his fourth shot into a bunker.

“Unfortunately, two really bad holes,” Garcia said. “But it’s the way it is. The U.S. Open doesn’t give you much room.”

Garcia salvaged his round with a birdie at the par-4 first hole and an eagle at the par-5 second where he reached the green from 272 yards out with a 3-wood and then drained a 16-footer. After a bogey at the par-5 fourth hole, he closed with birdies at the par-4 eighth and the par-4 10th.

“The eagle on [No.2] helped a lot,” Garcia said. “I hit a couple of bad shots again, but I was able to hit some good ones. I made a couple of nice putts. It was a pretty flat round for most of the day.”

It was hardly a “flat” round considering the rough start, the hot finish and the mild heckling in between. He tried to downplay the chirping from the mindless.

“I think there were a couple here and there,” he said of the hecklers. “But I felt the people were very nice for the whole day. I think that almost all of them were behind me and that was nice to see.”

Garcia heads out for his second round today hoping to play the weekend. To do that, he’ll have to concentrate more on what happens inside the ropes than outside of them.